Chats with micro sound clips

ABSTRACT

Aspects of the present disclosure involve a system and a method for performing operations comprising: receiving, by a messaging application implemented on a client device of a first user, input comprising a message directed to a second user; in response to receiving the input, obtaining contextual information associated with the message; identifying, based on the contextual information, a plurality of sounds representing the message; receiving a selection from the first user of a given sound of the plurality of sounds; and sending the given sound to the second user in response to receiving the selection of the given sound received from the first user.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to recording sounds with amessaging application.

BACKGROUND

The popularity of users interacting with other users online continues togrow. There are many ways for users to interact online with other users.Users can communicate with their friends using messaging applicationsand can play with other users online in multiplayer video games orperform other actions using various other applications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numeralsmay describe similar components in different views. To easily identifythe discussion of any particular element or act, the most significantdigit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number inwhich that element is first introduced. Some nonlimiting examples areillustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a networked environment inwhich the present disclosure may be deployed, in accordance with someexamples.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a messaging system, inaccordance with some examples, that has both client-side and server-sidefunctionality.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a data structure asmaintained in a database, in accordance with some examples.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of a message, in accordance withsome examples.

FIGS. 5-9 are diagrammatic representations of graphical user interfaces,in accordance with some examples.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating example operations of the messagingapplication, according to example embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of acomputer system within which a set of instructions may be executed forcausing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologiesdiscussed herein, in accordance with some examples.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a software architecture within whichexamples may be implemented.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The description that follows includes systems, methods, techniques,instruction sequences, and computing machine program products thatembody illustrative embodiments of the disclosure. In the followingdescription, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific detailsare set forth in order to provide an understanding of variousembodiments. It will be evident, however, to those skilled in the art,that embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. Ingeneral, well-known instruction instances, protocols, structures, andtechniques are not necessarily shown in detail.

Typically, users exchange messages with each other using messagingapplications. Such applications allow users to select from a predefinedlist of images and avatars to send to one another. Users areincreasingly communicating with each other using such images and avatarsto convey their thoughts. However, finding the right images or avatarsto convey a particular thought can be tedious and time consuming.Specifically, the user has to manually search using keywords for aparticular image or avatar that conveys a given message. This requiresnavigating through multiple pages of information until the desired imageor avatar is found. Given the complexity and amount of time it takes tofind the right image or avatar, users become discouraged fromcommunicating using the images or avatars, which results in a waste ofresources or lack of use.

The disclosed embodiments improve the efficiency of using the electronicdevice by providing a system that allows a user to associate a sound oraudio clip with a message that is shared with another user. When thereceiving user accesses the message with which the sound has beenassociated, the recipient is presented with message and the sound isplayed back. To aid the user in associating the sound or audio clip withthe message, a user interface is presented that intelligently andquickly presents sounds that are contextually relevant to the messagethe user is typing or composing. The user can select one of thecontextually relevant sounds or audio clip to preview or send theselected sound or audio clip to the other user.

Specifically, according to the disclosed embodiments a messagingapplication implemented on a client device of a first user receivesinput comprising a message directed to a second user. In response toreceiving the input, the messaging application obtains contextualinformation associated with the message and identifies, based on thecontextual information, a plurality of sounds representing the message.The messaging application receives a selection from the first user of agiven sound of the plurality of sounds and sends the given sound to thesecond user in response to receiving the selection of the given soundreceived from the first user.

In this way, the disclosed embodiments improve the efficiency of usingthe electronic device by reducing the number of screens and interfaces auser has to navigate through to find a sound to share with other usersfor a message that is sent to the other users. This is done bypresenting a graphical user interface from which the user can quicklyand efficiently select a sound to incorporate with a message that theuser intends to send the other users. This reduces the device resources(e.g., processor cycles, memory, and power usage) needed to accomplish atask with the device.

Networked Computing Environment

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example messaging system 100 forexchanging data (e.g., messages and associated content) over a network.The messaging system 100 includes multiple instances of a client device102, each of which hosts a number of applications, including a messagingclient 104 and other external applications 109 (e.g., third-partyapplications). Each messaging client 104 is communicatively coupled toother instances of the messaging client 104 (e.g., hosted on respectiveother client devices 102), a messaging server system 108 and externalapp(s) servers 110 via a network 112 (e.g., the Internet). A messagingclient 104 can also communicate with locally-hosted third-partyapplications 109 using Applications Program interfaces (APIs).

A messaging client 104 is able to communicate and exchange data withother messaging clients 104 and with the messaging server system 108 viathe network 112. The data exchanged between messaging clients 104, andbetween a messaging client 104 and the messaging server system 108,includes functions (e.g., commands to invoke functions) as well aspayload data (e.g., text, audio, video or other multimedia data).

The messaging server system 108 provides server-side functionality viathe network 112 to a particular messaging client 104. While certainfunctions of the messaging system 100 are described herein as beingperformed by either a messaging client 104 or by the messaging serversystem 108, the location of certain functionality either within themessaging client 104 or the messaging server system 108 may be a designchoice. For example, it may be technically preferable to initiallydeploy certain technology and functionality within the messaging serversystem 108 but to later migrate this technology and functionality to themessaging client 104 where a client device 102 has sufficient processingcapacity.

The messaging server system 108 supports various services and operationsthat are provided to the messaging client 104. Such operations includetransmitting data to, receiving data from, and processing data generatedby the messaging client 104. This data may include message content,client device information, geolocation information, media augmentationand overlays, message content persistence conditions, social networkinformation, and live event information, as examples. Data exchangeswithin the messaging system 100 are invoked and controlled throughfunctions available via user interfaces (Ins) of the messaging client104.

Turning now specifically to the messaging server system 108, anApplication Program Interface (API) server 116 is coupled to, andprovides a programmatic interface to, application servers 114. Theapplication servers 114 are communicatively coupled to a database server120, which facilitates access to a database 126 that stores dataassociated with messages processed by the application servers 114.Similarly, a web server 128 is coupled to the application servers 114,and provides web-based interfaces to the application servers 114. Tothis end, the web server 128 processes incoming network requests overthe Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and several other relatedprotocols.

The Application Program Interface (API) server 116 receives andtransmits message data (e.g., commands and message payloads) between theclient device 102 and the application servers 114. Specifically, theApplication Program Interface (API) server 116 provides a set ofinterfaces (e.g., routines and protocols) that can be called or queriedby the messaging client 104 in order to invoke functionality of theapplication servers 114. The Application Program Interface (API) server116 exposes various functions supported by the application servers 114,including account registration, login functionality, the sending ofmessages, via the application servers 114, from a particular messagingclient 104 to another messaging client 104, the sending of media files(e.g., images or video) from a messaging client 104 to a messagingserver 118, and for possible access by another messaging client 104, thesettings of a collection of media data (e.g., story), the retrieval of alist of friends of a user of a client device 102, the retrieval of suchcollections, the retrieval of messages and content, the addition anddeletion of entities (e.g., friends) to an entity graph a social graph),the location of friends within a social graph, and opening anapplication event (e.g., relating to the messaging client 104).

The application servers 114 host a number of server applications andsubsystems, including for example a messaging server 118, an imageprocessing server 122, and a social network server 124. The messagingserver 118 implements a number of message processing technologies andfunctions, particularly related to the aggregation and other processingof content (e.g., textual and multimedia content) included in messagesreceived from multiple instances of the messaging client 104. As will bedescribed in further detail, the text and media content from multiplesources may be aggregated into collections of content (e.g., calledstories or galleries). These collections are then made available to themessaging client 104. Other processor- and memory-intensive processingof data may also be performed server-side by the messaging server 118,in view of the hardware requirements for such processing.

The application servers 114 also include an image processing server 122that is dedicated to performing various image processing operations,typically with respect to images or video within the payload of amessage sent from or received at the messaging server 118.

The social network server 124 supports various social networkingfunctions and services and makes these functions and services availableto the messaging server 118. To this end, the social network server 124maintains and accesses an entity graph 308 (as shown in FIG. 3) withinthe database 126. Examples of functions and services supported by thesocial network server 124 include the identification of other users ofthe messaging system 100 with which a particular user has relationshipsor is “following,” and also the identification of other entities andinterests of a particular user.

Returning to the messaging client 104, features and functions of anexternal resource (e.g., a third-party application 109 or applet) aremade available to a user via an interface of the messaging client 104.The messaging client 104 receives a user selection of an option tolaunch or access features of an external resource (e.g., a third-partyresource), such as external apps 109. The external resource may be athird-party application (external apps 109) installed on the clientdevice 102 (e.g., a “native app”), or a small-scale version of thethird-party application (e.g., an “applet”) that is hosted on the clientdevice 102 or remote of the client device 102 (e.g., on third-partyservers 110). The small-scale version of the third-party applicationincludes a subset of features and functions of the third-partyapplication (e.g., the full-scale, native version of the third-partystandalone application) and is implemented using a markup-languagedocument. In one example, the small-scale version of the third-partyapplication (e.g., an “applet”) is a web-based, markup-language versionof the third-party application and is embedded in the messaging client104. In addition to using markup-language documents (e.g., a .*ml file),an applet may incorporate a scripting language (e.g., a .*js file or a.json file) and a style sheet (e.g., a .*ss file).

In response to receiving a user selection of the option to launch oraccess features of the external resource (external app 109), themessaging client 104 determines whether the selected external resourceis a web-based external resource or a locally-installed externalapplication. In some cases, external applications 109 that are locallyinstalled on the client device 102 can be launched independently of andseparately from the messaging client 104, such as by selecting an icon,corresponding to the external application 109, on a home screen of theclient device 102. Small-scale versions of such external applicationscan be launched or accessed via the messaging client 104 and, in someexamples, no or limited portions of the small-scale external applicationcan be accessed outside of the messaging client 104. The small-scaleexternal application can be launched by the messaging client 104receiving, from a external app(s) server 110, a markup-language documentassociated with the small-scale external application and processing sucha document.

In response to determining that the external resource is alocally-installed external application 109, the messaging client 104instructs the client device 102 to launch the external application 109by executing locally-stored code corresponding to the externalapplication 109. In response to determining that the external resourceis a web-based resource, the messaging client 104 communicates with theexternal app(s) servers 110 to obtain a markup-language documentcorresponding to the selected resource. The messaging client 104 thenprocesses the obtained markup-language document to present the web-basedexternal resource within a user interface of the messaging client 104.

The messaging client 104 can notify a user of the client device 102, orother users related to such a user (e.g., “friends”), of activity takingplace in one or more external resources. For example, the messagingclient 104 can provide participants in a conversation (e.g., a chatsession) in the messaging client 104 with notifications relating to thecurrent or recent use of an external resource by one or more members ofa group of users. One or more users can be invited to join in an activeexternal resource or to launch a recently-used but currently inactive(in the group of friends) external resource. The external resource canprovide participants in a conversation, each using a respectivemessaging client messaging clients 104, with the ability to share anitem, status, state, or location in an external resource with one ormore members of a group of users into a chat session. The shared itemmay be an interactive chat card with which members of the chat caninteract, for example, to launch the corresponding external resource,view specific information within the external resource, or take themember of the chat to a specific location or state within the externalresource. Within a given external resource, response messages can besent to users on the messaging client 104. The external resource canselectively include different media items in the responses, based on acurrent context of the external resource.

The messaging client 104 can present a list of the available externalresources (e.g., third-party or external applications 109 or applets) toa user to launch or access a given external resource. This list can bepresented in a context-sensitive menu. For example, the iconsrepresenting different ones of the external application 109 (or applets)can vary based on how the menu is launched by the user (e.g., from aconversation interface or from a non-conversation interface).

System Architecture

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating further details regarding themessaging system 100, according to some examples. Specifically, themessaging system 100 is shown to comprise the messaging client 104 andthe application servers 114. The messaging system 100 embodies a numberof subsystems, which are supported on the client side by the messagingclient 104 and on the sever side by the application servers 114. Thesesubsystems include, for example, an ephemeral timer system 202, acollection management system 204, an augmentation system 208, a mapsystem 210, a game system 212, and an external resource system 220.

The ephemeral timer system 202 is responsible for enforcing thetemporary or time-limited access to content by the messaging client 104and the messaging server 118. The ephemeral timer system 202incorporates a number of timers that, based on duration and displayparameters associated with a message, or collection of messages (e.g., astory), selectively enable access (e.g., for presentation and display)to messages and associated content via the messaging client 104. Furtherdetails regarding the operation of the ephemeral timer system 202 areprovided below.

The collection management system 204 is responsible for managing sets orcollections of media (e.g., collections of text, image video, and audiodata). A collection of content (e.g., messages, including images, video,text, and audio) may be organized into an “event gallery” or an “eventstory,” Such a collection may be made available for a specified timeperiod, such as the duration of an event to which the content relates.For example, content relating to a music concert may be made availableas a “story” for the duration of that music concert. The collectionmanagement system 204 may also be responsible for publishing an iconthat provides notification of the existence of a particular collectionto the user interface of the messaging client 104.

The collection management system 204 furthermore includes a curationinterface 206 that allows a collection manager to manage and curate aparticular collection of content. For example, the curation interface206 enables an event organizer to curate a collection of contentrelating to a specific event (e.g., delete inappropriate content orredundant messages). Additionally, the collection management system 204employs machine vision (or image recognition technology) and contentrules to automatically curate a content collection. In certain examples,compensation may be paid to a user for the inclusion of user-generatedcontent into a collection. In such cases, the collection managementsystem 204 operates to automatically make payments to such users for theuse of their content.

The augmentation system 208 provides various functions that enable auser to augment (e.g., annotate or otherwise modify or edit) mediacontent associated with a message. For example, the augmentation system208 provides functions related to the generation and publishing of mediaoverlays for messages processed by the messaging system 100. Theaugmentation system 208 operatively supplies a media overlay oraugmentation (e.g., an image filter) to the messaging client 104 basedon a geolocation of the client device 102. In another example, theaugmentation system 208 operatively supplies a media overlay to themessaging client 104 based on other information, such as social networkinformation of the user of the client device 102. A media overlay mayinclude audio and visual content and visual effects. Examples of audioand visual content include pictures, texts, logos, animations, and soundeffects. An example of a visual effect includes color overlaying. Theaudio and visual content or the visual effects can be applied to a mediacontent item (e.g., a photo) at the client device 102. For example, themedia overlay may include text or image that can be overlaid on top of aphotograph taken by the client device 102. In another example, the mediaoverlay includes an identification of a location overlay (e.g., Venicebeach), a name of a live event, or a name of a merchant overlay (e.g.,Beach Coffee House). In another example, the augmentation system 208uses the geolocation of the client device 102 to identify a mediaoverlay that includes the name of a merchant at the geolocation of theclient device 102. The media overlay may include other indiciaassociated with the merchant. The media overlays may be stored in thedatabase 126 and accessed through the database server 120.

In some examples, the augmentation system 208 provides a user-basedpublication platform that enables users to select a geolocation on a mapand upload content associated with the selected geolocation. The usermay also specify circumstances under which a particular media overlayshould be offered to other users. The augmentation system 208 generatesa media overlay that includes the uploaded content and associates theuploaded content with the selected geolocation.

In other examples, the augmentation system 208 provides a merchant-basedpublication platform that enables merchants to select a particular mediaoverlay associated with a geolocation via a bidding process. Forexample, the augmentation system 208 associates the media overlay of thehighest bidding merchant with a corresponding geolocation for apredefined amount of time.

The map system 210 provides various geographic location functions, andsupports the presentation of map-based media content and messages by themessaging client 104. For example, the map system 210 enables thedisplay of user icons or avatars (e.g., stored in profile data 316) on amap to indicate a current or past location of “friends” of a user, aswell as media content (e.g., collections of messages includingphotographs and videos) generated by such friends, within the context ofa map. For example, a message posted by a user to the messaging system100 from a specific geographic location may be displayed within thecontext of a map at that particular location to “friends” of a specificuser on a map interface of the messaging client 104. A user canfurthermore share his or her location and status information (e.g.,using an appropriate status avatar) with other users of the messagingsystem 100 via the messaging client 104, with this location and statusinformation being similarly displayed within the context of a mapinterface of the messaging client 104 to selected users.

The game system 212 provides various gaming functions within the contextof the messaging client 104. The messaging client 104 provides a gameinterface providing a list of available games (e.g., web-based games orweb-based applications) that can be launched by a user within thecontext of the messaging client 104, and played with other users of themessaging system 100. The messaging system 100 further enables aparticular user to invite other users to participate in the play of aspecific game, by issuing invitations to such other users from themessaging client 104. The messaging client 104 also supports both voiceand text messaging (e.g., chats) within the context of gameplay,provides a leaderboard for the games, and also supports the provision ofin-game rewards (e.g., coins and items)

The external resource system 220 provides an interface for the messagingclient 104 to communicate with external app(s) servers 110 to launch oraccess external resources. Each external resource (apps) server 110hosts, for example, a markup language (e.g., HTML5) based application orsmall-scale version of an external application (e.g., game, utility,payment, or ride-sharing application that is external to the messagingclient 104). The messaging client 104 may launch a web-based resource(e.g., application) by accessing the HTML5 file from the externalresource (apps) servers 110 associated with the web-based resource. Incertain examples, applications hosted by external resource servers 110are programmed in JavaScript leveraging a Software Development Kit (SDK)provided by the messaging server 118. The SDK includes ApplicationProgramming Interfaces (APIs) with functions that can be called orinvoked by the web-based application. In certain examples, the messagingserver 118 includes a JavaScript library that provides a giventhird-party resource access to certain user data of the messaging client104. HTML5 is used as an example technology for programming games, butapplications and resources programmed based on other technologies can beused.

In order to integrate the functions of the SDK into the web-basedresource, the SDK is downloaded by an external resource (apps) server110 from the messaging server 118 or is otherwise received by theexternal resource (apps) server 110. Once downloaded or received, theSDK is included as part of the application code of a web-based externalresource. The code of the web-based resource can then call or invokecertain functions of the SDK to integrate features of the messagingclient 104 into the web-based resource.

The SDK stored on the messaging server 118 effectively provides thebridge between an external resource (e.g., third-party or externalapplications 109 or applets and the messaging client 104). This providesthe user with a seamless experience of communicating with other users onthe messaging client 104, while also preserving the look and feel of themessaging client 104. To bridge communications between an externalresource and a messaging client 104, in certain examples, the SDKfacilitates communication between external resource servers 110 and themessaging client 104. In certain examples, a WebViewJavaScriptBridgerunning on a client device 102 establishes two one-way communicationchannels between a external resource and the messaging client 104.Messages are sent between the external resource and the messaging client104 via these communication channels asynchronously. Each SDK functioninvocation is sent as a message and callback. Each SDK function isimplemented by constructing a unique callback identifier and sending amessage with that callback identifier.

By using the SDK, not all information from the messaging client 104 isshared with external resource servers 110. The SDK limits whichinformation is shared based on the needs of the external resource. Incertain examples, each external resource server 110 provides an HTML5file corresponding to the web-based external resource to the messagingserver 118. The messaging server 118 can add a visual representation(such as a box art or other graphic) of the web-based external resourcein the messaging client 104. Once the user selects the visualrepresentation or instructs the messaging client 104 through a GUI ofthe messaging client 104 to access features of the web-based externalresource, the messaging client 104 obtains the HTML5 file andinstantiates the resources necessary to access the features of theweb-based external resource.

The messaging client 104 presents a graphical user interface (e.g., alanding page or title screen) for an external resource. During, before,or after presenting the landing page or title screen, the messagingclient 104 determines whether the launched external resource has beenpreviously authorized to access user data of the messaging client 104.In response to determining that the launched external resource has beenpreviously authorized to access user data of the messaging client 104,the messaging client 104 presents another graphical user interface ofthe external resource that includes functions and features of theexternal resource. In response to determining that the launched externalresource has not been previously authorized to access user data of themessaging client 104, after a threshold period of time (e.g., 3 seconds)of displaying the landing page or title screen of the external resource,the messaging client 104 slides up (e.g., animates a menu as surfacingfrom a bottom of the screen to a middle of or other portion of thescreen) a menu for authorizing the external resource to access the userdata. The menu identifies the type of user data that the externalresource will be authorized to use. In response to receiving a userselection of an accept option, the messaging client 104 adds theexternal resource to a list of authorized external resources and allowsthe external resource to access user data from the messaging client 104.In some examples, the external resource is authorized by the messagingclient 104 to access the user data in accordance with an OAuth 2framework,

The messaging client 104 controls the type of user data that is sharedwith external resources based on the type of external resource beingauthorized. For example, external resources that include full-scaleexternal applications (e.g., a third-party or external application 109)are provided with access to a first type of user data (e.g., onlytwo-dimensional avatars of users with or without different avatarcharacteristics). As another example, external resources that includesmall-scale versions of external applications (e.g., web-based versionsof third-party applications) are provided with access to a second typeof user data (e.g., payment information, two-dimensional avatars ofusers, three-dimensional avatars of users, and avatars with variousavatar characteristics). Avatar characteristics include different waysto customize a look and feel of an avatar, such as different poses,facial features, clothing, and so forth.

In some embodiments, the messaging client 104 presents an interface thatallows a user to associate sounds with messages exchanged with otherusers in a communication interface (e.g., a chat session of themessaging client 104). For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the messagingclient 104 presents a graphical user interface 500 to a first user of afirst client device 102. The graphical user interface 500 includes acommunication interface 501 in which multiple messages are exchangedbetween the first user and one or more other users (e.g., a seconduser). The communication interface 501 includes a message compositionsection 510 (or text input region). The messaging client 104 receives auser input that taps the message composition section 510. In response,the messaging client 104 presents a cursor and keyboard allowing theuser to compose a message. The message input in the message compositionsection 510 is transmitted or shared with the one or more other userswith whom the user is involved in a conversation in the communicationinterface 501 (e.g., John).

As the user types in content of a message in the message compositionsection 510, the messaging client 104 continuously or periodicallyanalyzes keywords to determine a context of the message being input. Forexample, the messaging client 104 searches a context database for one ormore words in the message to retrieve or identify context of themessage. Once the context of the message is identified in the database,the message client 104 accesses a database of sounds. Each sound in thedatabase of sounds is tagged or associated with one or more contexts.The messaging client 104 retrieves a plurality of sounds from thedatabase of sounds that are associated with the identified context ofthe message.

In some implementations, the messaging client 104 presents a messageaugmentation interface that includes a first option 520 and a secondoption 530. The message augmentation interface allows the user to embedor include one or more augmentation elements with the message the usercomposed. In response to the messaging client 104 receiving a userselection of the first option 520, the messaging client 104 presents asound selection region that includes a collection of sounds that theuser can associate with the message that is composed. In response to themessaging client 104 receiving a user selection of the second option530, the messaging client 104 presents a collection of avatars orbitmojis that the user can associate with the message that is composed.

In some embodiments, in response to receiving the user selection of thefirst option 520, a sound package selection option 540 is presented. Thesound package selection option 540 allows the user to choose one or morepackages of sounds for which the associated sounds are presented forselection. In one example, the user can select a celebrity soundpackage. The celebrity sound package includes a collection of microaudio sound clips (e.g., audio files that are shorter than 3 seconds)recorded by various well known celebrities or people. The micro audiosound clips may include catch phrases that users typically associatewith the respective celebrities or people. In one example, the user canselect a gaming audio sounds package. The gaming audio sounds packageincludes a collection of micro audio sound clips of sounds that areusually played in various games that are well known to users who playthe games. In one example, the user can select a music sound trackssounds package. The music sound tracks sound package includes acollection of micro audio sound clips of segments of well known songs.In one example, the user can select a humorous sounds package. Thehumorous sounds package includes a collection of funny micro audioclips. In one example, the user can select an emotional sounds package.The emotion sounds package includes a collection of micro audio clipsthat correspond to different moods, such as sad, ashamed, embarrassed,loving, cute, and so forth.

Once the messaging client 104 receives a user selection of the soundpackage, the messaging client 104 filters the collection of sounds thatare associated with the context of the message and presents graphicalelements representing the filtered collection of sounds to the user inthe sound selection region. In another embodiment, once the messagingclient 104 receives a user selection of the sound package, the messagingclient 104 searches only the sounds in the selected package to identifyone or more sounds within the package that are associated with theidentified context of the message. The identified one or more sounds arethen presented with respective graphical elements in the messageaugmentation interface.

Each sound that is identified and presented in the message augmentationinterface includes a graphical element (e.g., an icon, thumbnail orimage) representing the sound, a title of the sound, attributioninformation (e.g., the artist or creator name) of the sound, and variousother relevant information (e.g., the identified context of the sound).The messaging client 104 receives a first type of user input associatedwith a given sound that is displayed in the message augmentationinterface. The first type of user input may be a touch input thatincludes tapping on the graphical element representing the sound. Inresponse to receiving the first type of user input, the messaging client104 starts playing the audio associated with the sound that has beentapped. The messaging client 104 presents a progress bar 522 associatedwith the sound that is being played. In one example, the progress bar522 may be a circular element (e.g., a ring) that surrounds thegraphical element representing the sound. The circular element is filledup by a circular progress bar that starts at a first point and ends atthe same first point at the end of the sound. In another embodiment, theprogress bar 522 is presented adjacent to the graphical elementrepresenting the sound. The progress bar 522 advances from a first pointto another point to represent playback progress of the sound. If theuser taps on a different graphical element, the sound corresponding tothe different graphical element is played back and the progress bar 522is displayed adjacent to or surrounding the different graphical element.

In an embodiment, the messaging client 104 receives a second type ofuser input associated with a given sound that is displayed in themessage augmentation interface. The second type of user input may be atouch input that includes double tapping (e.g., receiving two tapswithin less than a threshold period of time of each other) on thegraphical element representing the sound. In response to receiving thesecond type of user input, the messaging client 104 associates the soundof the double tapped graphical element with the message composed in themessage composition section 510. For example, the messaging client 104sends the message that is composed together with the sound associatedwith the double tapped graphical element. In some implementations, themessaging client 104 sends the sound associated with the double tappedgraphical element instead of the message composed in the messagecomposition section 510. The message or the sound is sent to one or moreother users with whom the user is exchanging messages in theconversation interface 501.

As shown in FIG. 6, a communication interface 600 of the second user towhom the message sent by the first user is directed is presented on asecond client device 102 associated with the second user. The messagecomposed by the first user in the message composition section 510 ispresented as a message 610 in the communication interface 600. Thecommunication interface 600 includes a message composition section 630that allows the second user to respond with messages back to the firstuser. In one example, in response to the first user sending a sound tothe second user in the communication session, a sound icon 620 ispresented in line with the messages that are exchanged in thecommunication interface 600.

The sound icon 620 may be a generic icon that visually informs thesecond user that a sound has been received in association with a givenmessage in the communication interface. The messaging client 104receives a user selection (e.g., tapping) of the sound icon 620. Inresponse, the messaging client 104 retrieves the audio corresponding tothe sound and begins playing the audio associated with the sound icon620. In addition, the messaging client 104 animates the sound icon 620from being a generic icon to the graphical element associated with thesound. For example, the messaging client 104 presents the user interface800 shown in FIG. 8 in which the sound icon 620 has been animated to bereplaced by the graphical element 820. The graphical element 820 may bethe same graphical element that was presented to the first user in thesound selection region that was double tapped to associate the soundwith the composed message. The graphical element 820 may include athumbnail or image representing the sound, a title of the sound,attribution information, context information, and various otherinformation associated with the sound. The graphical element 820 mayinclude a play button 822. In response to receiving a user selection ofthe play button 822, the messaging client 104 may replay once or in alooped manner the sound associated with the graphical element 820. Afterthe graphical element 820 is presented for a threshold period of time,the messaging client 104 may animate the graphical element 820 back tothe sound icon 620. Alternatively, the messaging client 104 may maintaina persistent display of the graphical element 820 after animating thesound icon 620 to be the graphical element 820,

Referring back to FIG, 7, in some cases, the messaging client 104 mayselect to present a sound icon 720 from a plurality of different typesof sound icons. Specifically, a first sound icon may correspond tosounds of a first sound package (e.g., gaming audio sound package). Asecond sound icon may correspond to celebrity sounds. A third sound iconmay correspond to sounds recorded by other users. A fourth sound iconmay correspond to emotional sounds. In some embodiments, the messagingclient 104 determines what type of sound has been received by the secondclient device 102 of the second user. For example, the messaging client104 determines the sound package that is associated with the sound thathas been received. Based on the type of sound, the messaging client 104selects the sound icon to include in the communication interface of thesecond user to indicate that a sound has been received and associatedwith the message 610. Namely, rather than displaying a generic soundicon 620, the messaging client 104 presents a sound icon 720 thatrepresents the type of sound that has been received. For example, if thetype of sound that has been received is a sound recorded by a friend,the messaging client 104 may present an avatar of the user or a genericavatar. If the type of sound that has been received is a sound that ispart of an emotion package, the messaging client 104 presents a randomor generic bitmoji as the sound icon 720. If the type of sound that hasbeen received is a celebrity sound, the messaging client 104 presents afamous sign representing celebrities. In this way, the second user isalerted to the fact that a sound is associated with the message 610without revealing the contents of the sound. Also, the second user maybe more interested in selecting the sound icon 720 if the sound iconrepresents one type of sound versus another type of sound.

In some embodiments, the messaging client 104 receives a user input thatincludes a touch and hold input associated with the graphical element820. In response, the messaging client 104 presents a window of options910 associated with the sound. For example, the window of options 910includes a first option 912 and a second option 914. The first option912 is an option that allows the user to save the sound that has beenreceived to a sound library associated with the second user. The soundlibrary can be later accessed by the user to review a list of previouslysaved sounds, modify sounds included in the sound library, and share oneor more sounds in the sound library with one or more other users. Thesecond option 914 is an option that allows the second user to edit ortrim the sound to share with other users. Selection of the second option914 presents a sound adjustment interface that allows the second user toadjust the start and end times of the sound to shorten or trim thesound. The second user can then respond to the message with anothermessage or the trimmed version of the sound.

Data Architecture

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating data structures 300, whichmay be stored in the database 126 of the messaging server system 108,according to certain examples. While the content of the database 126 isshown to comprise a number of tables, it will be appreciated that thedata could be stored in other types of data structures (e.g., as anobject-oriented database).

The database 126 includes message data stored within a message table302. This message data includes, for any particular one message, atleast message sender data, message recipient (or receiver) data, and apayload. Further details regarding information that may be included in amessage, and included within the message data stored in the messagetable 302, is described below with reference to FIG. 4.

An entity table 306 stores entity data, and is linked (e.g.,referentially) to an entity graph 308 and profile data 316. Entities forwhich records are maintained within the entity table 306 may includeindividuals, corporate entities, organizations, objects, places, events,and so forth. Regardless of entity type, any entity regarding which themessaging server system 108 stores data may be a recognized entity. Eachentity is provided with a unique identifier, as well as an entity typeidentifier (not shown).

The entity graph 308 stores information regarding relationships andassociations between entities. Such relationships may be social,professional (e.g., work at a common corporation or organization)interested-based or activity-based, merely for example.

The profile data 316 stores multiple types of profile data about aparticular entity. The profile data 316 may be selectively used andpresented to other users of the messaging system 100, based on privacysettings specified by a particular entity. Where the entity is anindividual, the profile data 316 includes, for example, a user name,telephone number, address, settings (e.g., notification and privacysettings), as well as a user-selected avatar representation (orcollection of such avatar representations). A particular user may thenselectively include one or more of these avatar representations withinthe content of messages communicated via the messaging system 100, andon map interfaces displayed by messaging clients 104 to other users. Thecollection of avatar representations may include “status avatars,” whichpresent a graphical representation of a status or activity that the usermay select to communicate at a particular time.

Where the entity is a group, the profile data 316 for the group maysimilarly include one or more avatar representations associated with thegroup, in addition to the group name, members, and various settings(e.g., notifications) for the relevant group.

The database 126 also stores augmentation data, such as overlays orfilters, in an augmentation table 310. The augmentation data isassociated with and applied to videos (for which data is stored in avideo table 304) and images (for which data is stored in an image table312).

Filters, in one example, are overlays that are displayed as overlaid onan image or video during presentation to a recipient user. Filters maybe of various types, including user-selected filters from a set offilters presented to a sending user by the messaging client 104 when thesending user is composing a message. Other types of filters includegeolocation filters (also known as geo-filters), which may be presentedto a sending user based on geographic location. For example, geolocationfilters specific to a neighborhood or special location may be presentedwithin a user interface by the messaging client 104, based ongeolocation information determined by a Global Positioning System (GPS)unit of the client device 102.

Another type of filter is a data filter, which may be selectivelypresented to a sending user by the messaging client 104, based on otherinputs or information gathered by the client device 102 during themessage creation process. Examples of data filters include currenttemperature at a specific location, a current speed at which a sendinguser is traveling, battery life for a client device 102, or the currenttime.

Other augmentation data that may be stored within the image table 312includes augmented reality content items (e.g., corresponding toapplying Lenses or augmented reality experiences). An augmented realitycontent item may be a real-time special effect and sound that may beadded to an image or a video.

As described above, augmentation data includes augmented reality contentitems, overlays, image transformations, AR images, and similar termsthat refer to modifications that may be applied to image data (e.g.,videos or images). This includes real-time modifications, which modifyan image as it is captured using device sensors (e.g., one or multiplecameras) of a client device 102 and then displayed on a screen of theclient device 102 with the modifications. This also includesmodifications to stored content, such as video clips in a gallery thatmay be modified. For example, in a client device 102 with access tomultiple augmented reality content items, a user can use a single videoclip with multiple augmented reality content items to see how thedifferent augmented reality content items will modify the stored clip.For example, multiple augmented reality content items that applydifferent pseudorandom movement models can be applied to the samecontent by selecting different augmented reality content items for thecontent. Similarly, real-time video capture may be used with anillustrated modification to show how video images currently beingcaptured by sensors of a client device 102 would modify the captureddata. Such data may simply be displayed on the screen and not stored inmemory, or the content captured by the device sensors may be recordedand stored in memory with or without the modifications (or both). Insome systems, a preview feature can show how different augmented realitycontent items will look within different windows in a display at thesame time. This can, for example, enable multiple windows with differentpseudorandom animations to be viewed on a display at the same time.

Data and various systems using augmented reality content items or othersuch transform systems to modify content using this data can thusinvolve detection of objects (e.g., faces, hands, bodies, cats, dogs,surfaces, objects, etc.), tracking of such objects as they leave, enter,and move around the field of view in video frames, and the modificationor transformation of such objects as they are tracked. In variousexamples, different methods for achieving such transformations may beused. Some examples may involve generating a three-dimensional meshmodel of the object or objects, and using transformations and animatedtextures of the model within the video to achieve the transformation. Inother examples, tracking of points on an object may be used to place animage or texture (which may be two dimensional or three dimensional) atthe tracked position. In still further examples, neural network analysisof video frames may be used to place images, models, or textures incontent (e.g., images or frames of video). Augmented reality contentitems thus refer both to the images, models, and textures used to createtransformations in content, as well as to additional modeling andanalysis information needed to achieve such transformations with objectdetection, tracking, and placement.

Real-time video processing can be performed with any kind of video data(e.g., video streams, video files, etc.) saved in a memory of acomputerized system of any kind. For example, a user can load videofiles and save them in a memory of a device, or can generate a videostream using sensors of the device. Additionally, any objects can beprocessed using a computer animation model, such as a human's face andparts of a human body, animals, or non-living things such as chairs,cars, or other objects.

In some examples, when a particular modification is selected along withcontent to be transformed, elements to be transformed are identified bythe computing device, and then detected and tracked if they are presentin the frames of the video. The elements of the object are modifiedaccording to the request for modification, thus transforming the framesof the video stream. Transformation of frames of a video stream can beperformed by different methods for different kinds of transformation.For example, for transformations of frames mostly referring to changingforms of object's elements, characteristic points for each element of anobject are calculated (e.g., using an Active Shape Model (ASM) or otherknown methods). Then, a mesh based on the characteristic points isgenerated for each of the at least one element of the object. This meshis used in the following stage of tracking the elements of the object inthe video stream. In the process of tracking, the mentioned mesh foreach element is aligned with a position of each element. Then,additional points are generated on the mesh. A first set of first pointsis generated for each element based on a request for modification, and aset of second points is generated for each element based on the set offirst points and the request for modification. Then, the frames of thevideo stream can be transformed by modifying the elements of the objecton the basis of the sets of first and second points and the mesh. Insuch method, a background of the modified object can be changed ordistorted as well by tracking and modifying the background.

In some examples, transformations changing some areas of an object usingits elements can be performed by calculating characteristic points foreach element of an object and generating a mesh based on the calculatedcharacteristic points. Points are generated on the mesh, and thenvarious areas based on the points are generated. The elements of theobject are then tracked by aligning the area for each element with aposition for each of the at least one element, and properties of theareas can be modified based on the request for modification, thustransforming the frames of the video stream. Depending on the specificrequest for modification, properties of the mentioned areas can betransformed in different ways. Such modifications may involve changingcolor of areas; removing at least some part of areas from the frames ofthe video stream; including one or more new objects into areas which arebased on a request for modification; and modifying or distorting theelements of an area or object. In various examples, any combination ofsuch modifications or other similar modifications may be used. Forcertain models to be animated, some characteristic points can beselected as control points to be used in determining the entirestate-space of options for the model animation.

In some examples of a computer animation model to transform image datausing face detection, the face is detected on an image with use of aspecific face detection algorithm (e.g., Viola-Jones). Then, an ActiveShape Model (ASM) algorithm is applied to the face region of an image todetect facial feature reference points,

Other methods and algorithms suitable for face detection can be used.For example, in some examples, features are located using a landmark,which represents a distinguishable point present in most of the imagesunder consideration. For facial landmarks, for example, the location ofthe left eye pupil may be used. If an initial landmark is notidentifiable (e.g., if a person has an eyepatch), secondary landmarksmay be used. Such landmark identification procedures may be used for anysuch objects. In some examples, a set of landmarks forms a shape. Shapescan be represented as vectors using the coordinates of the points in theshape. One shape is aligned to another with a similarity transform(allowing translation, scaling, and rotation) that minimizes the averageEuclidean distance between shape points. The mean shape is the mean ofthe aligned training shapes.

In some examples, a search for landmarks from the mean shape aligned tothe position and size of the face determined by a global face detectoris started. Such a search then repeats the steps of suggesting atentative shape by adjusting the locations of shape points by templatematching of the image texture around each point and then conforming thetentative shape to a global shape model until convergence occurs. Insome systems, individual template matches are unreliable, and the shapemodel pools the results of the weak template matches to form a strongeroverall classifier. The entire search is repeated at each level in animage pyramid, from coarse to fine resolution.

A transformation system can capture an image or video stream on a clientdevice (e.g., the client device 102) and perform complex imagemanipulations locally on the client device 102 while maintaining asuitable user experience, computation time, and power consumption. Thecomplex image manipulations may include size and shape changes, emotiontransfers (e.g., changing a face from a frown to a smile), statetransfers (e.g., aging a subject, reducing apparent age, changinggender), style transfers, graphical element application, and any othersuitable image or video manipulation implemented by a convolutionalneural network that has been configured to execute efficiently on theclient device 102.

In some examples, a computer animation model to transform image data canbe used by a system where a user may capture an image or video stream ofthe user (e.g., a selfie) using a client device 102 having a neuralnetwork operating as part of a messaging client 104 operating on theclient device 102. The transformation system operating within themessaging client 104 determines the presence of a face within the imageor video stream and provides modification icons associated with acomputer animation model to transform image data, or the computeranimation model can be present as associated with an interface describedherein. The modification icons include changes that may be the basis formodifying the user's face within the image or video stream as part ofthe modification operation. Once a modification icon is selected, thetransformation system initiates a process to convert the image of theuser to reflect the selected modification icon (e.g., generate a smilingface on the user). A modified image or video stream may be presented ina graphical user interface displayed on the client device 102 as soon asthe image or video stream is captured, and a specified modification isselected. The transformation system may implement a complexconvolutional neural network on a portion of the image or video streamto generate and apply the selected modification. That is, the user maycapture the image or video stream and be presented with a modifiedresult in real-time or near real-time once a modification icon has beenselected. Further, the modification may be persistent while the videostream is being captured, and the selected modification icon remainstoggled. Machine-taught neural networks may be used to enable suchmodifications.

The graphical user interface, presenting the modification performed bythe transformation system, may supply the user with additionalinteraction options. Such options may be based on the interface used toinitiate the content capture and selection of a particular computeranimation model (e.g., initiation from a content creator userinterface). In various examples, a modification may be persistent afteran initial selection of a modification icon. The user may toggle themodification on or off by tapping or otherwise selecting the face beingmodified by the transformation system and store it for later viewing orbrowse to other areas of the imaging application. Where multiple facesare modified by the transformation system, the user may toggle themodification on or off globally by tapping or selecting a single facemodified and displayed within a graphical user interface. In someexamples, individual faces, among a group of multiple faces, may beindividually modified, or such modifications may be individually toggledby tapping or selecting the individual face or a series of individualfaces displayed within the graphical user interface.

A story table 314 stores data regarding collections of messages andassociated image, video, or audio data, which are compiled into acollection (e.g., a story or a gallery). The creation of a particularcollection may be initiated by a particular user (e.g., each user forwhich a record is maintained in the entity table 306). A user may createa “personal story” in the form of a collection of content that has beencreated and sent/broadcast by that user. To this end, the user interfaceof the messaging client 104 may include an icon that is user-selectableto enable a sending user to add specific content to his or her personalstory.

A collection may also constitute a “live story,” which is a collectionof content from multiple users that is created manually, automatically,or using a combination of manual and automatic techniques. For example,a “live story” may constitute a curated stream of user-submitted contentfrom various locations and events. Users whose client devices havelocation services enabled and are at a common location event at aparticular time may, for example, be presented with an option, via auser interface of the messaging client 104, to contribute content to aparticular live story. The live story may be identified to the user bythe messaging client 104, based on his or her location. The end resultis a “live story” told from a community perspective.

A further type of content collection is known as a “location story,”which enables a user whose client device 102 is located within aspecific geographic location (e.g., on a college or university campus)to contribute to a particular collection. In some examples, acontribution to a location story may require a second degree ofauthentication to verify that the end user belongs to a specificorganization or other entity (e.g., is a student on the universitycampus).

As mentioned above, the video table 304 stores video data that, in oneexample, is associated with messages for which records are maintainedwithin the message table 302. Similarly, the image table 312 storesimage data associated with messages for which message data is stored inthe entity table 306. The entity table 306 may associate variousaugmentations from the augmentation table 310 with various images andvideos stored in the image table 312 and the video table 304.

An external resource authorization table stores a list of allthird-party resources (e.g., external applications, small-scale versionsof external applications, such as web-based external applications, andweb-based gaining applications) that have been authorized to access userdata of the messaging client 104. The external resource authorizationtable also stores a timer for each authorized external resource that isreset or refreshed each time the corresponding external resource isused. Namely, the timer represents frequency or recency of use for eachexternal resource. Whenever a user of the messaging client 104 launchesor accesses a feature of the external resource, the timer for theexternal resource is reset or refreshed. In some cases, when the timerfor a given external resource reaches a threshold value (e.g., 90 days),the corresponding external resource is automatically de-authorized(e.g., the authorization for the external resource to access the userdata is revoked until the user re-authorizes the external resource toaccess the user data of the messaging client 104). The external resourceauthorization table may also store associations between user identifiersprovided by the messaging client 104 and corresponding user accountinformation generated using a standalone version of an externalapplication. The user identifiers are used by the messaging client 104to retrieve user account information generated with one version of anexternal application to incorporate or merge into another version of theexternal application.

Data Communications Architecture

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a message 400,according to some examples, generated by a messaging client 104 forcommunication to a further messaging client 104 or the messaging server118. The content of a particular message 400 is used to populate themessage table 302 stored within the database 126, accessible by themessaging server 118. Similarly, the content of a message 400 is storedin memory as “in-transit” or “in-flight” data of the client device 102or the application servers 114. A message 400 is shown to include thefollowing example components:

-   -   message identifier 402: a unique identifier that identifies the        message 400.    -   message text payload 404: text, to be generated by a user via a        user interface of the client device 102, and that is included in        the message 400.    -   message image payload 406: image data, captured by a camera        component of a client device 102 or retrieved from a memory        component of a client device 102, and that is included in the        message 400. Image data for a sent or received message 400 may        be stored in the image table 312.    -   message video payload 408: video data, captured by a camera        component or retrieved from a memory component of the client        device 102, and that is included in the message 400. Video data        for a sent or received message 400 may be stored in the video        table 304.    -   message audio payload 410: audio data, captured by a microphone        or retrieved from a memory component of the client device 102,        and that is included in the message 400.    -   message augmentation data 412: augmentation data (e.g., filters,        stickers, or other annotations or enhancements) that represents        augmentations to be applied to message image payload 406,        message video payload 408, or    -   message audio payload 410 of the message 400. Augmentation data        for a sent or received message 400 may be stored in the        augmentation table 310.    -   message duration parameter 414: parameter value indicating, in        seconds, the amount of time for which content of the message        (e.g., the message image payload 406, message video payload 408,        message audio payload 410) is to be presented or made accessible        to a user via the messaging client 104.    -   message geolocation parameter 416: geolocation data (e.g.,        latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates) associated with the        content payload of the message. Multiple message geolocation        parameter 416 values may be included in the payload, each of        these parameter values being associated with respect to content        items included in the content (e.g., a specific image within the        message image payload 406, or a specific video in the message        video payload 408).    -   message story identifier 418: identifier values identifying one        or more content collections (e.g., “stories” identified in the        story table 314) with which a particular content item in the        message image payload 406 of the message 400 is associated. For        example, multiple images within the message image payload 406        may each be associated with multiple content collections using        identifier values.    -   message tag 420: each message 400 may be tagged with multiple        tags, each of which is indicative of the subject matter of        content included in the message payload. For example, where a        particular image included in the message image payload 406        depicts an animal (e.g., a lion), a tag value may be included        within the message tag 420 that is indicative of the relevant        animal. Tag values may he generated manually, based on user        input, or may be automatically generated using, for example,        image recognition.    -   message sender identifier 422: an identifier (e.g., a messaging        system identifier, email address, or device identifier)        indicative of a user of the client device 102 on which the        message 400 was generated and from which the message 400 was        sent.    -   message receiver identifier 424: an identifier (e.g., a        messaging system identifier, email address, or device        identifier) indicative of a user of the client device 102 to        which the message 400 is addressed.

The contents (e.g., values) of the various components of message 400 maybe pointers to locations in tables within which content data values arestored. For example, an image value in the message image payload 406 maybe a pointer to (or address of) a location within an image table 312.Similarly, values within the message video payload 408 may point to datastored within a video table 304, values stored within the messageaugmentation data 412 may point to data stored in an augmentation table310, values stored within the message story identifier 418 may point todata stored in a story table 314, and values stored within the messagesender identifier 422 and the message receiver identifier 424 may pointto user records stored within an entity table 306.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating example operations of the messagingclient 104 in performing process 1000, according to example embodiments.The process 1000 may be embodied in computer-readable instructions forexecution by one or more processors such that the operations of theprocess 1000 may be performed in part or in whole by the functionalcomponents of the client device 102; accordingly, the process 1000 isdescribed below by way of example with reference thereto. However, inother embodiments at least some of the operations of the process 1000may be deployed on various other hardware configurations, such as onapplication servers 114. The operations in the process 1000 can beperformed in any order, in parallel, or may be entirely skipped andomitted

At operation 1001, the client device 102 receives, by a messagingapplication implemented on a client device of a first user, inputcomprising a message directed to a second user. For example, themessaging client 104 receives textual input in a message compositionsection 510 that includes a message directed to another user of thecommunication interface 501.

At operation 1002, the client device 102 obtains contextual informationassociated with the message. For example, the messaging client 104selects words from the textual input continuously as the words are inputand searches a context database to retrieve a context associated withthe words.

At operation 1003, the client device 102 identifies, based on thecontextual information, a plurality of sounds representing the message.For example, the messaging client 104 searches a sounds database toidentify a set of sounds that are associated with the identified contextof the message.

At operation 1004, the client device 102 receives a selection from thefirst user of a given sound of the plurality of sounds. For example, themessaging client 104 receives a user input that selects a graphicalelement from the sound selection region associated with the first option520 of the message augmentation region (FIG. 5).

At operation 1004, the client device 102 sends the given sound to thesecond user in response to receiving the selection of the given soundreceived from the first user. For example, the messaging client 104sends the message or the sound or both to another user with whom theuser is involved in the conversation interface. The messaging client 104of the recipient displays a sound icon 620 to indicate to the seconduser a a sound is associated with the message that has been received.

Machine Architecture

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic representation of the machine 1100 withinwhich instructions 1108 (e.g., software, a program, an application, anapplet, an app, or other executable code) for causing the machine 1100to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein may beexecuted. For example, the instructions 1108 may cause the machine 1100to execute any one or more of the methods described herein. Theinstructions 1108 transform the general, non-programmed machine 1100into a particular machine 1100 programmed to carry out the described andillustrated functions in the manner described. The machine 1100 mayoperate as a standalone device or may be coupled (e.g., networked) toother machines. In a networked deployment, the machine 1100 may operatein the capacity of a server machine or a client machine in aserver-client network environment, or as a peer machine in apeer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine 1100 maycomprise, but not be limited to, a server computer, a client computer, apersonal computer (PC), a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a netbook,a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), anentertainment media system, a cellular telephone, a smartphone, a mobiledevice, a wearable device (e.g., a smartwatch), a smart home device(e.g., a smart appliance other smart devices, a web appliance, a networkrouter, a network switch, a network bridge, or any machine capable ofexecuting the instructions 1108, sequentially or otherwise, that specifyactions to be taken by the machine 1100. Further, while only a singlemachine 1100 is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken toinclude a collection of machines that individually or jointly executethe instructions 1108 to perform any one or more of the methodologiesdiscussed herein. The machine 1100, for example, may comprise the clientdevice 102 or any one of a number of server devices forming part of themessaging server system 108. In some examples, the machine 1100 may alsocomprise both client and server systems, with certain operations of aparticular method or algorithm being performed on the server-side andwith certain operations of the particular method or algorithm beingperformed on the client-side.

The machine 1100 may include processors 1102, memory 1104, andinput/output (I/O) components 1138, which may be configured tocommunicate with each other via a bus 1140. In an example, theprocessors 1102 (e.g., a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a ReducedInstruction Set Computing (RISC) Processor, a Complex Instruction SetComputing (CISC) Processor, a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a DigitalSignal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit(ASIC), a Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuit (RF1C), another processor,or any suitable combination thereof) may include, for example, aprocessor 1106 and a processor 1110 that execute the instructions 1108.The term “processor” is intended to include multi-core processors thatmay comprise two or more independent processors (sometimes referred toas “cores”) that may execute instructions contemporaneously. AlthoughFIG. 11 shows multiple processors 1102, the machine 1100 may include asingle processor with a single-core, a single processor with multiplecores (e.g., a multi-core processor), multiple processors with a singlecore, multiple processors with multiples cores, or any combinationthereof.

The memory 1104 includes a main memory 1112, a static memory 1114, and astorage unit 1116, all accessible to the processors 1102 via the bus1140. The main memory 1104, the static memory 1114, and the storage unit1116 store the instructions 1108 embodying any one or more of themethodologies or functions described herein. The instructions 1108 mayalso reside, completely or partially, within the main memory 1112,within the static memory 1114, within machine-readable medium 1118within the storage unit 1116, within at least one of the processors 1102(e.g., within the processor's cache memory), or any suitable combinationthereof, during execution thereof by the machine 1100.

The I/O components 1138 may include a wide variety of components toreceive input, provide output, produce output, transmit information,exchange information, capture measurements, and so on. The specific I/Ocomponents 1138 that are included in a particular machine will depend onthe type of machine. For example, portable machines such as mobilephones may include a touch input device or other such input mechanisms,while a headless server machine will likely not include such a touchinput device. It will be appreciated that the I/O components 1138 mayinclude many other components that are not shown in FIG. 11. In variousexamples, the I/O components 1138 may include user output components1124 and user input components 1126. The user output components 1124 mayinclude visual components (e.g., a display such as a plasma displaypanel (PDP), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, a liquid crystaldisplay (LCD), a projector, or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), acousticcomponents (e.g., speakers), haptic components (e.g., a vibratory motor,resistance mechanisms), other signal generators, and so forth. The userinput components 1126 may include alphanumeric input components (e.g., akeyboard, a touch screen configured to receive alphanumeric input, aphoto-optical keyboard, or other alphanumeric input components),point-based input components (e.g., a mouse, a touchpad, a trackball, ajoystick, a motion sensor, or another pointing instrument), tactileinput components (e.g., a physical button, a touch screen that provideslocation and force of touches or touch gestures, or other tactile inputcomponents), audio input components (e.g., a microphone), and the like.

In further examples, the I/O components 1138 may include biometriccomponents 1128, motion components 1130, environmental components 1132,or position components 1134, among a wide array of other components. Forexample, the biometric components 1128 include components to detectexpressions (e.g., hand expressions, facial expressions, vocalexpressions, body gestures, or eye-tracking), measure biosignals (e.g.,blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, perspiration, or brainwaves), identify a person (e.g., voice identification, retinalidentification, facial identification, fingerprint identification, orelectroencephalogram-based identification), and the like. The motioncomponents 1130 include acceleration sensor components (e.g.,accelerometer), gravitation sensor components, rotation sensorcomponents (e.g., gyroscope).

The environmental components 1132 include, for example, one or cameras(with still image/photograph and video capabilities), illuminationsensor components (e.g., photometer), temperature sensor components(e.g., one or more thermometers that detect ambient temperature),humidity sensor components, pressure sensor components (e.g.,barometer), acoustic sensor components (e.g., one or more microphonesthat detect background noise), proximity sensor components (e.g.,infrared sensors that detect nearby objects), gas sensors (e.g., gasdetection sensors to detection concentrations of hazardous gases forsafety or to measure pollutants in the atmosphere), or other componentsthat may provide indications, measurements, or signals corresponding toa surrounding physical environment.

With respect to cameras, the client device 102 may have a camera systemcomprising, for example, front cameras on a front surface of the clientdevice 102 and rear cameras on a rear surface of the client device 102.The front cameras may, for example, be used to capture still images andvideo of a user of the client device 102 (e.g., “selfies”), which maythen be augmented with augmentation data (e.g., filters) describedabove. The rear cameras may, for example, be used to capture stillimages and videos in a more traditional camera mode, with these imagessimilarly being augmented with augmentation data. In addition to frontand rear cameras, the client device 102 may also include a 360° camerafor capturing 360° photographs and videos.

Further, the camera system of a client device 102 may include dual rearcameras (e.g., a primary camera as well as a depth-sensing camera), oreven triple, quad or penta rear camera configurations on the front andrear sides of the client device 102. These multiple cameras systems mayinclude a wide camera, an ultra-wide camera, a telephoto camera, a macrocamera, and a depth sensor, for example.

The position components 1134 include location sensor components (e.g., aGPS receiver component), altitude sensor components (e.g., altimeters orbarometers that detect air pressure from which altitude may be derived),orientation sensor components (e.g., magnetometers), and the like.

Communication may be implemented using a wide variety of technologies.The I/O components 1138 further include communication components 1136operable to couple the machine 1100 to a network 1120 or devices 1122via respective coupling or connections. For example, the communicationcomponents 1136 may include a network interface component or anothersuitable device to interface with the network 1120. In further examples,the communication components 1136 may include wired communicationcomponents, wireless communication components, cellular communicationcomponents, Near Field Communication (NFC) components, Bluetooth®components (e.g., Bluetooth® Low Energy), Wi-Fi® components, and othercommunication components to provide communication via other modalities.The devices 1122 may be another machine or any of a wide variety ofperipheral devices (e.g., a peripheral device coupled via a USB).

Moreover, the communication components 1136 may detect identifiers orinclude components operable to detect identifiers. For example, thecommunication components 1136 may include Radio Frequency identification(RFID) tag reader components, NFC smart tag detection components,optical reader components (e.g., an optical sensor to detectone-dimensional bar codes such as Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code,multi-dimensional bar codes such as Quick Response (QR) code, Azteccode, Data Matrix, Dataglyph, MaxiCode, PDF417, Ultra Code, UCC RSS-2Dbar code, and other optical codes), or acoustic detection components(e.g., microphones to identify tagged audio signals). In addition, avariety of information may be derived via the communication components1136, such as location via Internet Protocol (IP) geolocation, locationvia Wi-Fi® signal triangulation, location via detecting an NFC beaconsignal that may indicate a particular location, and so forth.

The various memories (e.g., main memory 1112, static memory 1114, andmemory of the processors 1102) and storage unit 1116 may store one ormore sets of instructions and data structures (e.g., software) embodyingor used by any one or more of the methodologies or functions describedherein. These instructions (e.g., the instructions 1108), when executedby processors 1102, cause various operations to implement the disclosedexamples.

The instructions 1108 may be transmitted or received over the network1120, using a transmission medium, via a network interface device (e.g.,a network interface component included in the communication components1136) and using any one of several well-known transfer protocols (e.g.,hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP)). Similarly, the instructions 1108may be transmitted or received using a transmission medium via acoupling (e.g., a peer-to-peer coupling) to the devices 1122.

Software Architecture

FIG. 12 is a block diagram 1200 illustrating a software architecture1204, which can be installed on any one or more of the devices describedherein. The software architecture 1204 is supported by hardware such asa machine 1202 that includes processors 1220, memory 1226, and I/Ocomponents 1238. In this example, the software architecture 1204 can beconceptualized as a stack of layers, where each layer provides aparticular functionality. The software architecture 1204 includes layerssuch as an operating system 1212, libraries 1210, frameworks 1208, andapplications 1206. Operationally, the applications 1206 invoke API calls1250 through the software stack and receive messages 1252 in response tothe API calls 1250.

The operating system 1212 manages hardware resources and provides commonservices. The operating system 1212 includes, for example, a kernel1214, services 1216, and drivers 1222. The kernel 1214 acts as anabstraction layer between the hardware and the other software layers.For example, the kernel 1214 provides memory management, processormanagement (e.g., scheduling), component management, networking, andsecurity settings, among other functionality. The services 1216 canprovide other common services for the other software layers. The drivers1222 are responsible for controlling or interfacing with the underlyinghardware. For instance, the drivers 1222 can include display drivers,camera drivers, BLUETOOTH® or BLUETOOTH® Low Energy drivers, flashmemory drivers, serial communication drivers (e.g., USB drivers), WI-FI®drivers, audio drivers, power management drivers, and so forth.

The libraries 1210 provide a common low-level infrastructure used by theapplications 1206. The libraries 1210 can include system libraries 1218(e.g., C standard library) that provide functions such as memoryallocation functions, string manipulation functions, mathematicfunctions, and the like. In addition, the libraries 1210 can include APIlibraries 1224 such as media libraries (e.g., libraries to supportpresentation and manipulation of various media formats such as MovingPicture Experts Group-4 (MPEG4), Advanced Video Coding (H.264 or AVC),Moving Picture Experts Group Layer-3 (MP3), Advanced Audio Coding (AAC),Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR) audio codec, Joint Photographic Experts Group(JPEG or JPG), or Portable Network Graphics (PNG)), graphics libraries(e.g., an OpenGL framework used to render in two dimensions (2D) andthree dimensions (3D) in a graphic content on a display), databaselibraries (e.g., SQLite to provide various relational databasefunctions), web libraries (e.g., WebKit to provide web browsingfunctionality), and the like. The libraries 1210 can also include a widevariety of other libraries 1228 to provide many other APIs to theapplications 1206.

The frameworks 1208 provide a common high-level infrastructure that isused by the applications 1206. For example, the frameworks 1208 providevarious graphical user interface (GUI) functions, high-level resourcemanagement, and high-level location services. The frameworks 1208 canprovide a broad spectrum of other APIs that can be used by theapplications 1206, some of which may be specific to a particularoperating system or platform.

In an example, the applications 1206 may include a home application1236, a contacts application 1230, a browser application 1232, a bookreader application 1234, a location application 1242, a mediaapplication 1244, a messaging application 1246, a game application 1248,and a broad assortment of other applications such as a externalapplication 1240. The applications 1206 are programs that executefunctions defined in the programs. Various programming languages can beemployed to create one or more of the applications 1206, structured in avariety of manners, such as object-oriented programming languages (e.g.,Objective-C, Java, or C++) or procedural programming languages (e.g., Cor assembly language). In a specific example, the external application1240 (e.g., an application developed using the ANDROID™ or IOS™ softwaredevelopment kit (SDK) by an entity other than the vendor of theparticular platform) may be mobile software running on a mobileoperating system such as IOS™, ANDROID™, WINDOWS® Phone, or anothermobile operating system. In this example, the external application 1240can invoke the API calls 1250 provided by the operating system 1212 tofacilitate functionality described herein.

Glossary

“Carrier signal” refers to any intangible medium that is capable ofstoring, encoding, or carrying instructions for execution by themachine, and includes digital or analog communications signals or otherintangible media to facilitate communication of such instructions.Instructions may be transmitted or received over a network using atransmission medium via a network interface device.

“Client device” refers to any machine that interfaces to a.communications network to obtain resources from one or more serversystems or other client devices. A client device may be, but is notlimited to, a mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop, portable digitalassistants (PDAs), smartphones, tablets, ultrabooks, netbooks, laptops,multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumerelectronics, game consoles, set-top boxes, or any other communicationdevice that a user may use to access a network.

“Communication network” refers to one or more portions of a network thatmay be an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual privatenetwork (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a widearea network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network(MAN), the Internet, a portion of the Internet, a portion of the PublicSwitched Telephone Network (PSTN), a plain old telephone service (POTS)network, a cellular telephone network, a wireless network, a Wi-Fi®network, another type of network, or a combination of two or more suchnetworks. For example, a network or a portion of a network may include awireless or cellular network and the coupling may be a Code DivisionMultiple Access (CDMA) connection, a Global System for Mobilecommunications (GSM) connection, or other types of cellular or wirelesscoupling. In this example, the coupling may implement any of a varietyof types of data transfer technology, such as Single Carrier RadioTransmission Technology (1×RTT), Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO)technology, General Packet Radio Service (CPRS) technology, EnhancedData rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) technology, third GenerationPartnership Project (3GPP) including 3G, fourth generation wireless (4G)networks, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UNITS), High SpeedPacket Access (HSPA), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access(WiMAX), Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard, others defined by variousstandard-setting organizations, other long-range protocols, or otherdata transfer technology.

“Component” refers to a device, physical entity, or logic havingboundaries defined by function or subroutine calls, branch points, APIs,or other technologies that provide for the partitioning ormodularization of particular processing or control functions. Componentsmay be combined via their interfaces with other components to carry outa machine process. A component may be a packaged functional hardwareunit designed for use with other components and a part of a program thatusually performs a particular function of related functions.

Components may constitute either software components (e.g., codeembodied on a machine-readable medium) or hardware components. A“hardware component” is a tangible unit capable of performing certainoperations and may be configured or arranged in a certain physicalmanner. In various example embodiments, one or more computer systems(e.g., a standalone computer system, a client computer system, or aserver computer system) or one or more hardware components of a computersystem (e.g., a processor or a group of processors) may be configured bysoftware (e.g., an application or application portion) as a hardwarecomponent that operates to perform certain operations as describedherein.

A hardware component may also be implemented mechanically,electronically, or any suitable combination thereof. For example, ahardware component may include dedicated circuitry or logic that ispermanently configured to perform certain operations. A hardwarecomponent may be a special-purpose processor, such as afield-programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC). A hardware component may also includeprogrammable logic or circuitry that is temporarily configured bysoftware to perform certain operations. For example, a hardwarecomponent may include software executed by a general-purpose processoror other programmable processor. Once configured by such software,hardware components become specific machines (or specific components ofa machine) uniquely tailored to perform the configured functions and areno longer general-purpose processors. It will be appreciated that thedecision to implement a hardware component mechanically, in dedicatedand permanently configured circuitry, or in temporarily configuredcircuitry (e.g., configured by software), may be driven by cost and timeconsiderations. Accordingly, the phrase “hardware component”(or“hardware-implemented component”) should be understood to encompass atangible entity, be that an entity that is physically constructed,permanently configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarily configured(e.g., programmed) to operate in a certain manner or to perform certainoperations described herein.

Considering embodiments in which hardware components are temporarilyconfigured (e.g., programmed), each of the hardware components need notbe configured or instantiated at any one instance in time. For example,where a hardware component comprises a general-purpose processorconfigured by software to become a special-purpose processor, thegeneral-purpose processor may be configured as respectively differentspecial-purpose processors (e.g., comprising different hardwarecomponents) at different times. Software accordingly configures aparticular processor or processors, for example, to constitute aparticular hardware component at one instance of time and to constitutea different hardware component at a different instance of time.

Hardware components can provide information to, and receive informationfrom, other hardware components. Accordingly, the described hardwarecomponents may be regarded as being communicatively coupled. Wheremultiple hardware components exist contemporaneously, communications maybe achieved through signal transmission (e.g., over appropriate circuitsand buses) between or among two or more of the hardware components. Inembodiments in which multiple hardware components are configured orinstantiated at different times, communications between such hardwarecomponents may be achieved, for example, through the storage andretrieval of information in memory structures to which the multiplehardware components have access. For example, one hardware component mayperform an operation and store the output of that operation in a memorydevice to which it is communicatively coupled. A further hardwarecomponent may then, at a later time, access the memory device toretrieve and process the stored output. Hardware components may alsoinitiate communications with input or output devices, and can operate ona resource (e.g., a collection of information).

The various operations of example methods described herein may beperformed, at least partially, by one or more processors that aretemporarily configured (e.g., by software) or permanently configured toperform the relevant operations. Whether temporarily or permanentlyconfigured, such processors may constitute processor-implementedcomponents that operate to perform one or more operations or functionsdescribed herein. As used herein, “processor-implemented component”refers to a hardware component implemented using one or more processors.Similarly, the methods described herein may be at least partiallyprocessor-implemented, with a particular processor or processors beingan example of hardware. For example, at least some of the operations ofa method may be performed by one or more processors 1102 orprocessor-implemented components. Moreover, the one or more processorsmay also operate to support performance of the relevant operations in a“cloud computing” environment or as a “software as a service” (SaaS).For example, at least some of the operations may be performed by a groupof computers (as examples of machines including processors), with theseoperations being accessible via a network (e.g., the Internet) and viaone or more appropriate interfaces (e.g., an API). The performance ofcertain of the operations may be distributed among the processors, notonly residing within a single machine, but deployed across a number ofmachines. In some example embodiments, the processors orprocessor-implemented components may be located in a single geographiclocation (e.g., within a home environment, an office environment, or aserver farm). In other example embodiments, the processors orprocessor-implemented components may be distributed across a number ofgeographic locations.

“Computer-readable storage medium” refers to both machine-storage mediaand transmission media. Thus, the terms include both storagedevices/media and carrier waves/modulated data signals. The terms“machine-readable medium,” “computer-readable medium” and“device-readable medium” mean the same thing and may be usedinterchangeably in this disclosure.

“Ephemeral message” refers to a message that is accessible for atime-limited duration. An ephemeral message may be a text, an image, avideo and the like. The access time for the ephemeral message may be setby the message sender. Alternatively, the access time may be a defaultsetting or a setting specified by the recipient. Regardless of thesetting technique, the message is transitory.

“Machine storage medium” refers to a single or multiple storage devicesand media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and associatedcaches and servers) that store executable instructions, routines anddata. The term shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limitedto, solid-state memories, and optical and magnetic media, includingmemory internal or external to processors. Specific examples ofmachine-storage media, computer-storage media and device-storage mediainclude non-volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductormemory devices, e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM),electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), FPGA, andflash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal hard disks andremovable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks Theterms “machine-storage medium,” “device-storage medium,”“computer-storage medium” mean the same thing and may be usedinterchangeably in this disclosure. The terms “machine-storage media,”“computer-storage media,” and “device-storage media” specificallyexclude carrier waves, modulated data signals, and other such media, atleast some of which are covered under the term “signal medium.”

“Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium” refers to a tangiblemedium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying theinstructions for execution by a machine.

“Signal medium” refers to any intangible medium that is capable ofstoring, encoding, or carrying the instructions for execution by amachine and includes digital or analog communications signals or otherintangible media to facilitate communication of software or data. Theterm “signal medium” shall be taken to include any form of a modulateddata signal, carrier wave, and so forth. The term “modulated datasignal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics setor changed in such a matter as to encode information in the signal. Theterms “transmission medium” and “signal medium” mean the same thing andmay be used interchangeably in this disclosure.

Changes and modifications may be made to the disclosed embodimentswithout departing from the scope of the present disclosure. These andother changes or modifications are intended to be included within thescope of the present disclosure, as expressed in the following claims.

1. A method comprising: receiving, by a messaging applicationimplemented on a client device of a first user, input comprising amessage directed to a second user; in response to receiving the input,obtaining contextual information associated with the message;identifying, based on the contextual information, a plurality of soundsrepresenting the message; receiving a selection from the first user of agiven sound of the plurality of sounds; sending the message and thegiven sound to the second user in response to receiving the selection ofthe given sound received from the first user; alerting the second userthat some sound is associated with the message without revealingcontents of the given sound.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising generating a display that includes a sound selection region,the sound selection region comprising a plurality of graphical elementseach representing a respective sound of the plurality of sounds.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: generating a display of acommunication interface comprising a plurality of messages exchangedbetween the first and second users; generating a display of a text inputregion of the communication interface, wherein the input is received viathe text input region; and as text of the message is input in the textinput region, continuously identifying contextually relevant sounds forinclusion as the plurality of sounds representing the message.
 4. Themethod of claim 3, further comprising: generating a display of a messageaugmentation region within the communication interface adjacent to thetext input region, the message augmentation region comprising a firstoption for selecting an avatar to represent the message and a secondoption for selecting a sound to represent the message; and in responseto receiving input that selects the second option, generating a displayof a sound selection region within the message augmentation region, thesound selection region comprising a plurality of graphical elements eachrepresenting a respective sound of the plurality of sounds.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: generating for display aplurality of graphical elements each representing a respective sound ofthe plurality of sounds; receiving a first type of input associated witha first graphical element of the plurality of graphical elements; and inresponse to receiving the first type of input, playing the soundassociated with the first graphical element.
 6. The method of claim 5,further comprising: receiving a second type of input associated with thefirst graphical element of the plurality of graphical elements; and inresponse to receiving the second type of input, causing the soundassociated with the first graphical element to be sent to the seconduser.
 7. The method of claim 5, further comprising presenting a circularprogress bar to represent the playing of the sound associated with thefirst graphical element, the circular progress bar comprising a circularelement that surrounds the first graphical element and is filled upwhile the sound is playing starting from a first point and ending at thesame first point at an end of playback of the sound.
 8. The method ofclaim 5, further comprising: selecting a sound package of a plurality ofsound packages, each sound package comprising a different collection ofsounds; and retrieving the plurality of graphical elements representingthe plurality of sounds of the selected sound package for inclusion inthe display of the plurality of graphical elements.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: causing display of a generic sound iconthat visually informs the second user that some sound has been receivedin association with the message; and replacing the display of thegeneric sound icon with a graphical element that represents the givensound in response to receiving input from the second user.
 10. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: generating for display on anotherclient device, associated with the second user, a sound iconrepresenting receipt of the given sound; and in response to receiving auser selection of the sound icon, playing the given sound on an audiooutput device of the second user.
 11. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising maintaining a persistent display of the graphical elementafter replacing the generic sound icon with the graphical element. 12.The method of claim 11, wherein the sound icon comprises a play buttonand the graphical element comprises a thumbnail or avatar representing acreator of the given sound.
 13. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising animating a display of the graphical element back to thegeneric sound icon after a threshold period of time has elapsed.
 14. Themethod of claim 9, wherein the generic sound icon is selected fordisplay from a plurality of generic sound icons based on an attribute ofthe given sound, a first of the plurality of generic sound iconsrepresenting a first category of sounds, and a second of the pluralityof generic sound icons representing a second category of sounds.
 15. Themethod of claim 14, wherein the attribute comprises a creator of thegiven sound, wherein the first of the plurality of generic sound iconscorrespond to sounds recorded by celebrities, and wherein the second ofthe plurality of generic sound icons correspond to sounds recorded byfriends of the first user.
 16. The method of claim 10, furthercomprising receiving input associated with the given sound to save thegiven sound in a sound library associated with the second user.
 17. Themethod of claim 10, further comprising enabling the second user to trimor modify the given sound.
 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the givensound is selected from a package of sounds corresponding to differentmoods.
 19. A system comprising: a processor configured to performoperations comprising: receiving, by a messaging application implementedon a client device of a first user, input comprising a message directedto a second user; in response to receiving the input, obtainingcontextual information associated with the message; identifying, basedon the contextual information, a plurality of sounds representing themessage; receiving a selection from the first user of a given sound ofthe plurality of sounds; sending the message and the given sound to thesecond user in response to receiving the selection of the given soundreceived from the first user; alerting the second user that some soundis associated with the message without revealing contents of the givensound.
 20. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium thatincludes instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of amachine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising: receiving,by a messaging application implemented on a client device of a firstuser, input comprising a message directed to a second user; in responseto receiving the input, obtaining contextual information associated withthe message; identifying, based on the contextual information, aplurality of sounds representing the message; receiving a selection fromthe first user of a given sound of the plurality of sounds; sending themessage and the given sound to the second user in response to receivingthe selection of the given sound received from the first user; alertingthe second user that some sound is associated with the message withoutrevealing contents of the given sound.